Quebec City legionnaires' disease outbreak: 180 people infected, 13 deaths- under control- likely source identified

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Legionnaires’ disease kills Quebec City woman, 14 infected

August 3, 2012 12:01 PM

QUEBEC — An elderly woman has died from Legionnaires’ disease during a Quebec City outbreak that has caused 14 other cases.

Authorities suspect the cause might be the air-conditioning system in a large public building — although they haven’t identified the building yet.

The regional public-health authority has sent a notice to the owners of all large buildings within a 1.5-kilometre area to clean their cooling towers.

It believes the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ developed in the stagnant water in one of those towers, connected to the air-conditioning system.


Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/...#ixzz22VbYicsx

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Woman dies of Legionnaires' disease

15 cases so far in Quebec City

CBC News

Posted: Aug 3, 2012 12:57 PM ET

Last Updated: Aug 3, 2012 12:56 PM ET

An 88-year-old woman in Quebec City has died from a severe case of Legionnaires' disease.

So far, 15 people have been infected in the capital this summer. There are usually two isolated cases of the disease per year.

The disease breeds in stagnant warm water, the likes of which are often found in large cooling systems. People get sick when they breathe in infected mist or water droplets.

Doctor François Desbiens from the Quebec Public Health Agency said finding the original water source is often difficult.
...
The City of Quebec has sent out 2,500 notices to businesses across the city. It is asking building owners to clean out their cooling systems.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...s-disease.html

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Hattip: Diane Morin

Translation Google


Two new cases of Legionnaires' disease in Quebec

Updated Friday, August 10, 2012 16 h 50 EDT

Two other seniors were contaminated with Legionella in Quebec. They both had fragile health.

A total of 17 residents of Quebec have contracted the disease since the outbreak in late July. An octogenarian died.
...
All building owners have recently received a notice asking them to clean their air conditioning system.

According to the authorities of public health, this is bearing fruit since the disease seems to have lost momentum. The number of cases has fallen since July.

"Right now, I can say that the last cases that were reported were extended in time, so it tells us that the outbreak is in progress of resolution, is clearly declining," said Dr. Michel Frigon, the Directorate General of Public Health.

http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/Q...medium=twitter

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Quebec City legionnaires' disease outbreak kills 2 more

CBC News
Posted: Aug 20, 2012 1:01 PM ET
Last Updated: Aug 20, 2012 12:57 PM ET

Two more people are dead, amid of a total of 40 infections, in an outbreak of legionnaires' disease in Quebec City, public health officials said Monday.

That's more than twice the number of cases that had previously been disclosed, and surpasses the last outbreak in the city, in 1995, when 12 people fell ill and one died.

Officials didn't name or provide details about the two new fatalities, which bring the death toll to three. The first to die was an 88-year-old Quebec City woman.

Dr. François Desbiens, the director of public health for the Quebec City region, said authorities have begun inspecting downtown buildings that use a cooling tower as part of their ventilation.

Public-health officials had already sent 2,700 letters to building owners in the downtown core asking them to clean their cooling systems, but the emergence of new cases — a dozen since Friday afternoon — is prompting the inspections.

"We're still seeing cases despite the fact that we've asked building owners to take steps," Desbiens said. "So we've decided to go further and investigate every tower again, and for those that haven't had maintenance, to identify them, to inspect them to take a water sample. And to order a disinfection."

More...
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...s-disease.html

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Legionnaires' claims 2 more lives in Quebec City

Disease has killed 6 people in Quebec City

CBC News

Posted: Aug 23, 2012 5:03 PM ET

Last Updated: Aug 23, 2012 5:35 PM ET


Public health officials in Quebec City are reporting two new deaths from Legionnaires' disease.

The new figures bring to six the total number of deaths from this summer's outbreak in the city. Another 65 people have are reported to have contracted the illness.

The Legionnaires' disease is caused by bacteria accumulating in stagnant water, including air-cooling systems.

Over the past few days, a cleanup and inspection operation has been underway, but officials have not been able to pinpoint the source of the outbreak.

Authorities say the outbreak is focused in the Saint-Sauveur neighbourhood.

On Wednesday, Solange Allen, a woman whose husband passed away from the disease over the weekend, said health officials didn't do enough to warn citizens of the outbreak.

The symptoms are similar to those of the flu, including coughs, fever and chills.

More...
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...ebec-city.html

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Death toll from legionnaires' in Quebec reaches 6

By The Canadian PressAugust 23, 2012 6:10 PM

"We're very worried by the current situation," said Francois Desbiens, director of public health for the Quebec City region.

"It's the biggest outbreak of legionnaires' that Canada has seen in years."

The number of reported deaths has doubled, from three, in a few days. However, officials expressed hope that things might soon improve.

They said thorough inspections have been completed in 28 buildings in two different neighbourhoods, near the provincial legislature. The process of checking, and cleaning, the cooling towers in those areas was supposed to have been completed Friday but it ended faster than scheduled.

"We disinfected and cleaned all the towers simultaneously," Desbiens said.

"We should be able to see the situation correct itself in five to six or seven days. I'm making that estimate because the incubation period is two to five days.

"It is very possible that we will have other cases of legionnaires' (Friday), Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. These would be people who were contaminated before we managed to disinfect the towers."
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They still do not know which building is the origin of the outbreak, although they expect to have a better idea within a month from samples taken in recent days.

Full text:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/healt...662/story.html

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Hattip Diane Morin

The perimeter set on July 31 includes Saint-Roch, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, down Old Limoilou, part of Old Quebec and the eastern part of Saint-Sauveur which borders the boulevard Langelier.


http://www.google.ca/imgres?q=carte+...w=1508&bih=863

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Quebec legionnaires' outbreak was preventable, mayor says

Report from 1996 outbreak suggested ways to more quickly contain spread of disease

CBC News
Posted: Aug 24, 2012 11:10 AM ET
Last Updated: Aug 24, 2012 12:35 PM ET

An outbreak of legionnaires' disease that has killed six people in Quebec City is all the more tragic because a report 15 years ago suggested ways to prevent it but was ignored, Mayor Régis Labeaume said Friday.

Labeaume, who cut short his vacation to respond to the outbreak, told a news conference he's "indignant at the indifference" and is calling on Quebec's political parties to commit to enact legislation as soon as possible.
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The 1997 report, which came in the wake of Quebec City's previous outbreak of legionnaires' disease, recommended the province create a registry of buildings that use cooling towers in their ventilation systems, so that an outbreak could be more quickly isolated. It also recommended tougher regulations for inspecting and maintaining the towers, which are typically installed on rooftops as one of several ways to keep a building's air fresh and control its temperature..
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Without a list of rooftop cooling towers in the area, Quebec City inspectors had to go up a skyscraper to look out over the surrounding area and visually tally them, a process that delayed their efforts to contain the outbreak.

Quebec City's regional public health authority said Friday there have been no new cases discovered since the day before, when it announced the two latest deaths as well as 16 new infections, bringing the total number of cases to 65.

The health authority had said it was the most severe legionnaires' outbreak in Canada in 20 years, but there have been worse: A 2005 outbreak at a nursing home in Toronto caused 21 deaths and made 127 people sick.
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"Everyone needs to know that we've got the situation under control," Mayor Labeaume said Friday. He was particularly adamant that people have nothing to worry about from a Madonna concert next Saturday, Sept. 1, on the Plains of Abraham, nor Sunday's Laval University football game, because legionnaires' disease cannot be passed between people.

"You cannot transmit it to someone else. So if you have the bacteria and you go to the show of Madonna, you cannot transmit it to 70,000 people."Labeaume also said the onus lies on the province to enact regulations on cooling towers because the spread of legionnaires' disease doesn't respect municipal boundaries. The scientific literature has found cases where the bacteria have travelled more than two kilometres in mist, which the mayor said means it can cross into a city from a neighbouring jurisdiction.

Full text:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...-outbreak.html

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Authorities scramble to contain outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Quebec City

16 new cases, 81 affected, 6 dead

By Aaron Derfel, GAZETTE Health ReporterAugust 24, 2012 7:01 PM

Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume cut short a vacation obn Friday to blast a succession of provincial governments for their “indifference” in following through on the report to prevent Legionnaires’ outbreaks.

As Quebec City authorities rushed to contain Canada’s deadliest outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in more than 25 years, Health Minster Yves Bolduc announced on Friday that the government would implement long-delayed regulations to prevent the spread of the killer bug in office ventilation systems.

Public health authorities reported 16 new cases of infection Friday, bringing the total to 81 cases of Legionnaires’ disease, of whom six have died.

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/healt...#ixzz24Vgs28jz

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...ebec-city.html

21 new cases of Legionnaires' in Quebec City
102 people infected since July
CBC News
Posted: Aug 25, 2012 2:35 PM ET
Last Updated: Aug 25, 2012 2:23 PM ET

Quebec City's public health authority confirmed 21 new cases of Legionnaires' disease on Saturday, bringing the total number of people infected by the airborne bacteria this summer to 102...

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.globalnews.ca/world/healt...413/story.html


Quebec death toll from legionnaires' disease climbs to 8 since mid-July
Sunday, August 26, 2012 12:19 AM

QUEBEC - Two more people have died from legionnaires' disease in the Quebec City area, bringing the total number of victims to eight since mid-July.

Public health officials say there have been a total of 104 cases since last month's outbreak...

[Ronan Kelly]

Two more die from Legionnaire's disease in Quebec City 0

QMI AGENCY

FIRST POSTED: SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2012 04:11 PM EDT | UPDATED: SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2012 04:14 PM EDT
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Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume told a news conference Friday that he visited rooftop cooling towers and found many to be in "deplorable" and even "catastrophic" condition.

Labeaume demanded the province force all building owners to regularly inspect air conditioning systems. The Liberal government complied and said it would introduce heavy fines for owners who do not properly inspect and disinfect their ventilation systems.

Quebec City officials said teams have already conducted 89 inspection and disinfection sweeps of air-conditioning systems.
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/08/26...in-quebec-city

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...es-8-dead.html

3 new cases of Legionnaires' disease; death toll still 8
Charest promises to study deadly outbreak
The Canadian Press
Posted: Aug 27, 2012 7:28 PM ET
Last Updated: Aug 27, 2012 7:27 PM ET

Liberal Leader Jean Charest is promising that his party will assume whatever responsibility it has to in an outbreak of legionnaires' disease that has killed eight people.

Charest says his government will look into the outbreak to determine what could have been done differently.

Three new cases have brought to 107 the number of people who have contracted the disease in Quebec City since July.

Health officials have set up a toll-free information line at 1-877-644-4545...

[Diane Morin]

More cases of legionnaires' disease to surface: Que. health minister

CTV National News: Deadly bacteria hits Quebec

An outbreak is plaguing the province of Quebec. Eight people have died and 128 cases of legionnaires have been reported. Maya Johnson has details.
Canada AM: Dr. Marla on Legionnaire's outbreak

Canada AM's medical expert breaks down the myths associated with Legionnaires' disease, and lists the symptoms.

CTVNews.ca Staff
Published Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012 7:00AM EDT
Last Updated Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012 7:26AM EDT

Quebec’s Health Minister Yves Bolduc says despite the province’s efforts to contain a deadly outbreak of legionnaires’ disease, more people will likely be infected before it is contained.

The deadly outbreak has already claimed the lives of eight people and sickened at least 126 people. Bolduc says the province expects a few more cases to surface.

“Public health direction is doing the right thing with the town of Quebec but it takes time,” he said. “And you know the incubation period is nine to 10 days -- it means we’re going to have other cases in the next few days.”
Meanwhile, Liberal Leader Jean Charest says his government will look into the month-long outbreak in Quebec City to determine what could have been done differently.

"We will assume the share of responsibility that is ours," he said during an election campaign stop on Tuesday.

"We will look at everything and we will do so rigorously because we're talking about people's health."

/.../

Authorities continue to say they believe they have the outbreak under control, even though three more residents were diagnosed on Monday,
The new cases bring the infection count to 107 since mid-July, making it one of the largest outbreaks of the disease in Canadian history. Eight people have died, most of them seniors in their 70s or 80s.

Clement Huppe was recently released from hospital after he contracted the disease. While in hospital, Huppe had a high fever and feared for his life.
Huppe told CTV Montreal that he has friends who also fell ill with the disease.
“I’m shocked because in the meantime I lost one of my friends, an old classmate, and another one of my friends is in a coma,” he said.

François Desbiens, director of public health for Quebec City, said Monday that authorities believe they have the outbreak under control but are reluctant to declare that it has peaked.

It can take up to 10 days before those exposed to legionnaires’ bacteria are diagnosed.

/.../


http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/more-ca...#ixzz24wGdLEZr

[Diane Morin]

HEALTH INDUSTRY Updated August 28, 2012, 5:28 p.m. ET

Legionnaires' Outbreaks Not Atypical, Health Official Says

By CAROLINE PORTER

CHICAGO—Outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease in Chicago and Quebec that have killed a total of at least 10 people highlight the need for caution but don't appear to be atypical for the illness, a U.S. health official said.

In Chicago, two people have died and six more are recuperating after a Legionnaires' outbreak at a downtown hotel, city health officials said Monday. The Chicago Department of Public Health said the hotel is now open and safe.

That came as health officials in Quebec are working to control an outbreak that has killed eight people and infected an additional 118.

The outbreaks are consistent with the usual pattern of infections of Legionnaires' disease, said Lauri Hicks, a medical epidemiologist who studies respiratory diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The illness comes from a type of pneumonia that infects humans through a water-based bacterium called Legionella, named after a 1976 outbreak among attendees at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia.

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"The most important aspect is that it is preventable and while it is not as common as other types of pneumonia, its severity obviously warrants attention," she said, highlight the need for businesses, government and outside institutions to work together.

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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...972995892.html

[Shiloh]

Source: http://metronews.ca/news/canada/3526...s-9-in-quebec/


August 29, 2012 Updated: August 29, 2012 | 4:35 pm
Legionnaires' death toll hits 9 in Quebec
By Staff The Canadian Press


QUEBEC – A ninth person has died of legionnaires’ disease in Quebec City.

Health officials said today the nine deaths are included in 141 overall cases of the disease to hit the city since July...

[Diane Morin]

Legionnaire's outbreak prompts public inquiry


THE CANADIAN PRESS AUGUST 31, 2012 2:01 AM


The Quebec government has ordered a public inquiry into an outbreak of legionnaires' disease that has killed nine people.

Thursday's announcement came hours before public health officials announced the number of overall cases of the disease in Quebec City had jumped to 151 from 141.

Cooling systems in two building towers are believed to be the source of the current outbreak.

Local authorities have disinfected the cooling systems in more than 100 buildings.

Inspectors are revisiting about 30 of them to look at the water and to make sure building owners have complied with cleanup directives.

A grieving relative held a news conference Thursday with her lawyer, with whom she has discussed the possibility of a class-action lawsuit.

Lawyer Jean-Pierre Menard, an expert on class actions in the health field, says legal action is not being considered yet but he wants to know more about what happened.

/.../

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/L...#ixzz257hkRGim

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Quebec health authorities see fewer legionnaires' cases

Mayor urges legionnaires' infected buildings be made public

CBC News
Posted: Aug 31, 2012 3:14 PM ET
Last Updated: Aug 31, 2012 5:29 PM ET

Quebec's public health board said it is seeing fewer cases of infections caused by legionnaires' disease.

At a news conference on Friday, director of public health for the Quebec City region François Desbiens announced seven new cases of the disease. This brings the overall toll to 158 infections, including nine deaths since July.

Authorities say the number of patients being admitted with the infection seem to be tapering off.

Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume wants the public health board to release the locations of buildings that were infected with legionnaires' disease.

According to the public health department, many building owners have not responded to the government's request to inspect their cooling towers.

...
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...nsparency.html

[Pathfinder]

Legionnaires' disease death toll rises to 10

Number of infected patients being admitted to hospital said to be tapering off

CBC News
Posted: Sep 1, 2012 1:14 PM ET
Last Updated: Sep 1, 2012 1:48 PM ET

Quebec's public health board says legionnaires' disease has claimed another victim in Quebec City, raising to 10 the number of people who have died from complications.

On Friday, the public health board said it was seeing fewer cases of infections caused by the disease. At that point, 158 people had been infected since July.
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The source of the outbreak is believed to be the cooling systems atop two buildings in Old Quebec. Local authorities have disinfected the cooling systems in more than 100 buildings.

Inspectors are currently reinspecintg about 30 buildings to make sure owners have complied with cleanup directives.
...
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...september.html

[Ronan Kelly]

Legionnaires' disease claims 10th victim in Quebec
09/01/2012 | The Canadian Press

An outbreak of legionnaires' disease in Quebec City has claimed its 10th victim.

Public health authorities say there have now been 165 cases since the outbreak began in mid-July.

The Quebec government ordered a public inquiry into the problem earlier this week.

The source is thought to be the cooling systems of two building towers.
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http://www.citytv.com/toronto/cityne...ctim-in-quebec

[Diane Morin]

Legionnaires' disease kills 10 in Quebec

From Colleen McEdwards, CNN
updated 3:09 AM EDT, Sun September 2, 2012

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Quebec authorities are still trying to pinpoint the origin of the outbreak
They urge building owners to set chlorine levels so bacteria can't grow
Legionnaires' disease can be fatal, though most people recover
An outbreak in Chicago this summer led to three deaths

(CNN) -- Ten people have died, out of 165 total cases, after contracting Legionnaires' disease in Quebec City, the provincial government said Saturday.

Canadian authorities have not publicly pinpointed the exact source of the outbreak. Results from samples may take until mid-September to come in, said Regional Directorate of Health. The agency said it is focusing on places frequented by those afflicted with the disease.

Health authorities are looking especially into cooling systems in two large buildings in Quebec, CNN affiliates CTV and CBC report. A government order has been issued requiring those who own or manage buildings in an unspecified target area to regulate levels of chlorine in the water so that the legionella bacteria -- which cause the disease -- cannot grow.

Quebecois should not have to change their daily habits due to the outbreak, the health department said, noting that healthy people are generally at low risk.

But those who develop tell-tale symptoms are encouraged to contact their doctor, the department said.

/.../

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/02/health...res/index.html

[Pathfinder]

Legionnaires' death toll rises to 11 in Quebec, total of 169 cases

The Canadian Press
Published Sunday, Sep. 2, 2012 12:37PM EDT

QUEBEC -- Legionnaires' disease has claimed another life in Quebec City, bringing the total to 11 since the outbreak began in mid-July.

Public health officials have now confirmed 169 cases in all -- four more than on Saturday.

But officials say the outbreak is under control.

...

Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/legionn...#ixzz25KsxNiCU

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.cjad.com/CJADLocalNews/en...tryID=10434059

Four more Legionnaires cases
Posted By: Shuyee Lee slee@astral.com · 9/3/2012 12:34:00 PM

The cases of Legionnaires Disease in the Quebec City region have climbed to 173.

It stood at 169 yesterday.

Eleven people have died so far of the disease...

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/...853/story.html

Legionnaires’ outbreak appears to be under control: Quebec City health chief
The Canadian Press September 7, 2012 4:01 PM

QUEBEC - Quebec City’s public health chief says the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that has plagued that city appears to be under control.
Dr. Francois Desbiens says the actions the city’s public health department have taken to get building owners in the outbreak zone to disinfect cooling towers appears to be bearing fruit.

The city reported one new case of Legionnaires’ Friday, bringing the total in the outbreak to 176...

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.globalmontreal.com/legion...845/story.html


Legionnaires' disease claims life of twelfth person in Quebec
Amanda Kelly, Global News : Tuesday, September 11, 2012 1:30 PM

QUEBEC CITY - Public health officials have confirmed that another person has died after suffering complications caused by legionnaires’ disease.

Although this is the twelfth person in Quebec to die after being diagnosed, authorities continue to maintain that the outbreak is under control...

[Shiloh]

Source: http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/legionnai...ictim-1.954881

Legionnaires' disease claims 13th Quebec City victim
ctvmontreal.ca
Published Thursday, Sep. 13, 2012 4:11PM EDT

QUEBEC -- On Thursday, the 13th, a 13th victim was claimed by a killer outbreak legionnaires' disease in Quebec City.

The person fell ill on Aug. 29 -- the last date on which any new case was reported...

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/...ebec-city.html

New legionnaires' cases in Quebec City raise total to 180
13 people have died from the disease
CBC News
Posted: Sep 14, 2012 3:27 PM ET
Last Updated: Sep 14, 2012 1:47 PM ET

Three more cases of legionnaires' disease have been reported in Quebec City, bringing the total confirmed cases to 180 in the outbreak that has killed 13 people.

Health officials say the situation is under control, despite the most recent death reported just Thursday from the acute, sometimes fatal respiratory disease caused by the Legionella bacterium...

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Quebe...972/story.html

Quebec City authorities pinpoint likely source of Legionnaires’ outbreak
By Aaron Derfel, THE GAZETTE September 19, 2012 4:50 PM

Public health authorities announced on Wednesday that they have pinpointed the probable source of the fatal outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease in Quebec City: a commercial-office building in the downtown centre of the provincial capital.

Laboratory technicians were able to match blood samples from 16 out of 17 patients who fell ill from the respiratory illness with water samples taken from the rooftop cooling tower at 320 Saint-Joseph St. E. That property houses the offices of the Centrale des syndicats du Québec, and is next door to the Bibliothèque Gabrielle-Roy...